The ceremony also featured at least seven speeches by dignitaries, including Mr Beattie, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, and the Lord Mayor of Birmingham — the 2022 Commonwealth Games host city.

"We wanted athletes to be part of and enjoy the closing ceremony. However, having them come in to the stadium in the pre-show meant the TV audience were not able to see the athletes enter the stadium, alongside flag-bearers. We got that wrong."

Mr Beattie later told the ABC the athletes were brought into the stadium early to avoid a scenario where they would have been kept "standing around".

"At previous ceremonies athletes were herded around, they stand around, they hate it, they get bored, often they don't go," he said.

"Our decision to bring them in early was right, but what we should have done though is have them parade as well.

"The athletes would not have enjoyed last night. I understand that and frankly the buck stops with me on that."

Mr Beattie said he wanted to personally apologise to Australian flag-bearer Kurt Fearnley.

Production company Jack Morton also expressed regret at the response to the closing ceremony.

"Having received such a positive response to the opening ceremony on the Gold Coast earlier this month, we share GOLDOC's disappointment at the level of criticism targeted at specific aspects of last night’s ceremony," Jack Morton managing director Helen Graney said.

Organisers should 'hang their head in shame'

Ms Palaszczuk was shown laughing and dancing in Carrara Stadium alongside Commonwealth Games Minister Kate Jones on Sunday night, but her tone had shifted significantly by the morning.

She said she was "just as disappointed as everyone else" that the athletes were not able to march during the ceremony, laying the blame on Mr Beattie's organisation.

"We appoint an agency to run the day-to-day operations of the game, and that was GOLDOC," she said.

"Whoever made that decision not to allow those athletes to march in should hang their head in shame."

Ms Palaszczuk and Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said the ceremony should have better celebrated the athletes' achievements, but neither had any apologies for delivering speeches of their own from the podium.

"You can only look at what you can control. Mine was short and sweet, don't you think?" Cr Tate said.

Ms Jones said the Government had no control over the ceremony program, and was not consulted about the athletes' entrance not being broadcast on television.

'I'm furious' athletes weren't shown, TV host says

Channel Seven's commentators said athletes were denied the spotlight.

Griggs said her network was not at fault, saying they could only use the pictures provided by the Commonwealth Games host broadcasters.

She was particularly critical of the decision not to show para-sports veteran Kurt Fearnley carrying the Australian flag into Carrara Stadium, surrounded by his teammates.